converting rear GT brakes to cobra

[TheRedBlur]

I have the rotors and unloaded calipers, the calipers come with a bracket. What gets me wondering is that the cobra rotors are in inch bigger in diameter, but the bracket is not taller, it's wider. Is there another bracket that it bolts to that I need to change?

 

[95LiterGT]

Yes, you will need the cobra caliper mounting brackets which mount directly to the rear axle housing. They will move the caliper out that extra inch. You will have to pull the rear axles out to install these. The calipers are slightly wider to accomodate the cobra rotors which are vented unlike the solid GT rotors. You will also need the moan braces that mount directly behind the caliper mounting brackets. The dust shields are also usually included in the kits. Good Luck.

 

[Al J]

I thought the Cobra rear calipers were the same as the GTs, the only difference being the mounting brackets and a thinner Cobra-only brake pad.I bought the upgrade kit from BuyFordRacing and it's in transit as we speak.
I got this info from a previous post---please let me know--I'm a week away from doing this mod!

 

[95LiterGT]

The GT calipers and Cobra calipers are slightly different. The area on the calipers that is cut out for the rotors to clear is slightly larger on the Cobra's. You can make a GT caliper fit but you will have to grind this area out to create more clearance for the rotor. When I did my conversion I installed my GT calipers but the Cobra rotors rubbed them. Since my calipers had 64,000 miles and were 10 years old I opted to just buy the new cobra calipers. You are correct about the pads being thinner. Just speaking from experience, hope this helps.

 

[TheRedBlur]

so there's two brackets per side?

 

[95LiterGT]

Here is what you need. I think the "mounting bracket" term is getting confusing since the rear calipers include there own bracket built into the caliper assembly. The rear calipers don't have separate brackets like the fronts, it is all one piece.

View attachment 349567

and this - You can see the mounting brackets in the lower left and right of the photo. The mounting brackets mount the caliper assembly to the axle housing.

View attachment 349569

So I guess you can say there are 2 brackets per side even though one is part of the caliper assembly. Hope this clears it up.

 

[go-stang5.0]

Cobras and gt's used the same calipers...so if the ones you got look better than yours use em. If not then keep your current ones when you do the swap. But yea everything else needed was mentioned already so I wont get into that. Also the only difference between cobra brake pads and GT ones is the cobra pads are thinner to accomodate the thicker rotor, so if your current pads are like half worn...you could prolly use those also. If there pretty new they may not fit around the cobra rotor.

 

[TheRedBlur]

I just got my stang back from the shop to put in gears and longer studs! Guess it's gonna have to wait.

 

[Al J]

The GT calipers and Cobra calipers are slightly different. The area on the calipers that is cut out for the rotors to clear is slightly larger on the Cobra's. You can make a GT caliper fit but you will have to grind this area out to create more clearance for the rotor. When I did my conversion I installed my GT calipers but the Cobra rotors rubbed them....

I think the kit pictured in this thread will reposition the GT caliper high enough so that no grinding or relieving of the GT caliper so as to clear the larger Cobra rotor will be necessary.

 

[TheRedBlur]

yeah, I wouldn't grind the caliper to clear, that's a critical area. It'd really weaken the caliper and I wouldn't want it to break when I'm racing.

 

[95LiterGT]

I think the kit pictured in this thread will reposition the GT caliper high enough so that no grinding or relieving of the GT caliper so as to clear the larger Cobra rotor will be necessary.

I am speaking from first hand experience here. I went through this and the GT calipers DID NOT work with the pictured cobra rear kit. As a mechanic by trade, I was very upset that I read on forums that the GT calipers would fit the cobra kit when in actuality they did not. There is nothing like spending the majority of the day doing this conversion and come to find out the car was not driveable unless I wanted to damage my rotors or wait a few days for the cobra rear calipers to come in. I am sharing my experience so others don't make the same mistake I made.

 

[Al J]

95LiterGT is right---there is conflicting advice on this caliper question---some say the 94-98 GT caliper will fit, some say they won't, still others say they fit with some clearencing of the inside of the caliper bracket, some say(as in this thread) some clearencing of the caliper itself will be necessary. New Cobra calipers are very overpriced, so to be sure, I think I'll shelve the rear brake upgrade until some inexpensive used ones drop in my lap & just go w/the fronts for now.

 

[95LiterGT]

95LiterGT is right---there is conflicting advice on this caliper question---some say the 94-98 GT caliper will fit, some say they won't, still others say they fit with some clearencing of the inside of the caliper bracket, some say(as in this thread) some clearencing of the caliper itself will be necessary. New Cobra calipers are very overpriced, so to be sure, I think I'll shelve the rear brake upgrade until some inexpensive used ones drop in my lap & just go w/the fronts for now.

Take a look at this link:

http://www.sn95brakes.com/sn95brakes.php

Step 6.

"Upgrade to the 94-98 Cobra 11.65" vented rotors. You need the Cobra specific axle bracket, anti-moan bracket and rotor. You use your existing caliper with the cobra pads (they are thinner to accommodate the thicker rotor). There are 3 different caliper brackets for the 94+ cars. You can either get a cobra specific unit or grind the GT/V6 one wider to accomodate the wider cobra rotor."

Here is a how to on the rears. It is for a 2000 Gt but should be the same. It talks
about the anti moan brackets not fitting correctly but I had no problem with them on mine.

http://www.2kgt.com/item.php?itemid=104